pridmore



Patented l an.'3l,vl899.

"E PRIIDMORE.

GRAIN HARVESTEFL,

(Application filed Fgb. 7, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

N0. 6I8,546. Patented Jan.'3l, I899.

-E. PRIDMORL,

GRAIN HARVESTEB.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 1898.) (No mom. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W-Zhe S565. M wmlfiverazvn Patented Jan. 3|, I899.

E. Pmnmomz. GRAIN HABVESTEB. (Appliesflan 1119a Feb. '7, 1898.)

3 She'ets-Shet 3.

(No Model.)

VIII/mm;

m: uonms PETERS co" mom-Luna, ww-uusmu, 0v c UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EDlVARD PRIDMORE, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE JOHNSTONHARVESTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

G RA|N-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,546, dated January31, 1899.

Application filed February '7, 1898.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD PRIDMORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Batavia, in the county of Genesee and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grain-Harvesters, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that class ofgrain-harvesters which are known as headers and which contain a rotatingreel, which directs the grain toward the cutter and upon the platformconveyor, and an elevator whereby the cut grain is carried from thedelivery end of the platform conveyer to an elevated receptacle.

One object of my invention is to provide a simple and reliable mechanismfor adjusting the reel backwardly or forwardly to suit the condition ofthe grain.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the elevatormay be readily lowered within convenient reach of the operator formaking repairs and adjusting the same.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is avertical longitudinal section of a grain-harvester provided withmyimprovements. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of thereel-driving mechanism viewed from the side opposite to that shown inFig. 1. Fig. 3is afragmentary front View of the belt guide-rollers andtheir support. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan View of the harvester.Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the elevator and adjacentparts, showing the elevator raised into an operative position. Fig. 6 isa sectional elevation of the same,taken lengthwise through the elevatorand showing the latterinits lowered position. Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryvertical section, on an enlarged scale, in line 77, Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is aperspective view of one of the elevator bearing-plates. Fig. 9 is aperspective view of one of the links which pivotally support theelevator.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the main frame of the harvester; B, the axle, provided withthe supporting and master wheels I) b; O, the draftpole, connected atits front end with the frame $cria1No. 669,4=31, (No model.)

and supported at its rear end by a casterwheel 0; D, the platform,arranged on the main frame in front of the master and sup portingwheels, and d the transversely-mow able platform conveyer or apron,passing with its receiving and delivery portions around receiving anddelivery rollers d d journaled on the platform.

E represents the cutter, arranged alongthe front side of the platformand consisting of the usual fingers or guards e and blades 6, secured toa reciprocating cutter-bar 6 Motion is transmitted from the master-Wheelto the cutter-bar by a chain belt 6 passing around a sprocket-wheel e onone side of the master-wheel, and a sprocket-wheel e mounted on a shaft6 arranged transversely in rear of the master-wh eel, a longitudinalrear shaft 6 provided with a bevel gear-wheel e meshing with a bevelgear-wheel e on the shaft 6 a longitudinal crank-shaft e journaled inbearings adjacent to the delivery end of the platform and provided atits front end with a crank which is connected bya rod 6 with thecutter-bar, and an intermediate shaft e connected by universal jointswith the crankshaft and the rear shaft 6 The crank-shaft is arranged asufficient distance from the cutter-bar to permit of employing acomparatively long connecting-rod, thereby causing the cutter to workeasy and reducing the wear on the same.

F represents the reel, which is arranged over the platform and thecutter mechanism and which is journaled with the ends of its transverseshaft f in bearings f f These bearings are arranged on slides f f whichare guided on the forwardly-projecting front arms 9 .g of twolongitudinal supporting elbow-levers arranged at opposite ends of thereel. The rear arms 9 g of these levers project upwardly, and the leversturn loosely on a rock-shaft H, which is arranged transversely in rearof the reel and journaled in bearings h on the main frame. Thesupporting-levers are turned for raising or lowering the reel by ahand-lever I, mounted on the rear portion of the draft-pole andconnected with the supporting-levers by suitable intermediate mechanism.That shown in the drawings is of well-known construction and consists ofa longitudinal rod 2', connected at its rear end with the hand-lever, arockshaft 2'', journaled on the main frame in rear of the master-wheeland having an arm 1' at one end, which is connected with the front endof the rod *6, and an arm 1' at its other end which is connected by arod i with the rear arm g of one of the supporting-levers, bell-cranklevers i i pivoted on the main frame and connected by a rod 2' a rod iconnecting one of the bell-crank levers with the connecting-rod 2', anda rod '6, connecting the other bell-crank lever with the rear arm g ofthe other supporting-lever.

J J represent two upwardly-projecting rock-arms which are secured toopposite ends of the rock-shaft H and which are connected by rodsjj withthe slides f f carrying the bearings of the reel-shaft. Upon rockingthis shaft in one or the other direction its rock-arms move the reelbackward or forward on the front arms of the supporting elbow-levers.The rock-shaft is operated by a hand-lever K, which is mounted on therear portion of the draft-pole and which is connected by a longitudinalrod with a depending rock-arm It, secured to the rock-shaft.

The mechanism whereby the reel is rotated is constructed as follows:

L represents a chain belt passing around a sprocket-wheel Z on one sideof the masterwheel and a sprocket-wheel Z, mounted on a driving-sleevem, which turns loosely on the rock-shaft H.

N representsachain belt passing upwardly around a sprocket-wheel 11.,secured to the driving-sleeve m, thence forwardly over an upper guidewheel or roller 02, arranged in front of the reel-bearing f, thencedownwardly around a lower guide wheel or roller n arranged below theupper roller, thence rearwardly in engagement with the under side of asprocket-wheel n on the adjacent end of reel-shaft, and thence to theplace of beginning. The guide-rollers are supported on .a bracket n,which is secured to the front end of the supporting-arm the lower rollerbeing arranged so high that the sprocket-wheel n of the reel-shaftdeflects the lower portion of the chain belt between the sprocket-wheeln and the lower roller 71. while the upper guide-rolleris arranged sohigh that the upper portion of the belt is held out of engagement withthe upper side of the reel sprocket-wheel n hen the machine is inoperation, the lower portion of the chain belt N moves rearwardly,whereby a direct pull is exerted on the sprocket-wheel n for turning thereel. Upon shifting the reel backward or forward the sprocket-wheel 01rolls over the lower portion of the chain belt N without materiallychanging the tension of the latter. By this means of driving andadjusting the reel a tightener for the chain belt Nis renderedunnecessary, thereby simplifying the construction and reducing theweight on the front arms of the supporting-levers to a minimum.

For the, purpose of changing the speed of the reel the chain belt N isremoved from the sprocket-wheels n and n and placed around asprocket-wheel 01*, arranged on the drivingsleeve on, adjacent to thesprocket n and of larger diameter than the latter, and around asprocket-wheelnflarranged on the reel-shaft adjacent to thesprocketwheel 01 and of smallerdiameter than the latter. The guiderollers are also made laterally adjustable to suit the chain passingaround the same, each roller being preferably journaled 011 a horizontalarm 0?], which is secured to the bracket or by bolts nhpassing throughthe bracket and one of two pairs of openings in the arm, as shown inFig. 3. In order to hold the driving-belt N in engagement with thesprocketwheel of the reel-shaft, the slide f is provided with two guidearms n which extend underneath the belt in front and in rear of the axisof the reel-shaft, thereby preventing the chain belt from becomingdetached from the reel sprocket-wheels n or n.

The mechanism whereby the grain is elevated from the delivery end of theplatform conveyer is constructed as follows:

0 represents the vertically-adjustable elevator-case, which inclineslaterally from the delivery end of the platform conveyer, and 0' 0represent the lower and upper elevator aprons or conveyers arranged inthe elevatorcase. The lower elevator conveyer passes with its receivingportion around a receivingroller 0 which is arranged between thedelivery-roller of the platform conveyer and the crank-shaft e and whichis mounted on a shaft 0 journaled in bearings on the adjacent portion ofthe frame. The delivery portion of the lower elevator conveyer passesaround a roller 0 journaled in the elevatorcase. The upper elevatorconveyer passes with its receiving and delivery portions aroundreceiving and delivery rollers o 0 journaled in the elevator-case.

The platform conveyer and the lower elevator conveyer are driven by achain belt P, passing around sprocket-wheels 19 p13 arranged,respectively, on the crank-shaft e and the shafts of thereceiving-roller of the lower elevator con veyer and the deliveryrollerof the platform conveyer, as shown in Fig. 4. The upper elevatorconveyer is driven by a gear-wheel q,1nou11ted on a short rear shaft qand meshing with a gear-wheel Q2 on the rear shaft 6 of thecutter-driving mechanism, and an intermediate shaft Q3, connected at itsends by universal joints with the rear shaft q and the shaft of thereceiving-roller of the upper elevator conveyer, as represented in Fig.4.

R represents the tackle which is connected with the outer portion of theelevator-case and whereby the latter is raised and lowered.

The receiving or lower end of the elevatorcase is pivotally supported onopposite sides by two links S S, which are attached to the outer sidesof the case and each of which tion of the elevator the lower ends of itssides and the bearing-plates rest upon the shoulders of the links, asrepresented in Figs. 5

and 7 WVhen lowering the elevator-case for the purpose of makingrepairs, the elevator and the links turn together on the shaft 0 untilthe elevator-case strikes the crank-shaft 6 in which position of theelevator its delivery end is not low enough to permit the operator toreach the same from the ground. I11 order to bring the delivery end ofthe elevator within reach of the operator after the elevator rests onthe shaft 6 the outer end of the elevator is depressed further and atthe same time moved inwardly on the shaft 6 whereby the inner end of theelevator is lifted from the shoulders of the links and the latter areswung upwardly and inwardly, as shown in Fig. 6. Upon raising the outerend of the elevator by means of the hoisting-tackle its inner end isdepressed and turns on the pins s, connecting the links andelevator-case, until the elevator -case bears against the shoulders ofthe links, after which the links and the elevator swing upwardlytogether about the axis of the shaft 0 and the elevator is lifted fromthe crank-shaft 6 into the desired position.

When the elevator is in use, the elevatorcase, bearing-plates, and linksmay be fastened together by clamping-bolts t, passing through thebearing-plates and the side boards of the elevator-case and engagingwith notches t in the upperedge of the links. Preparatory to loweringthe elevator the nuts of the clamping-bolts are loosened to permit thelatter to lift out of the notches of the links. This means of supportingthe inner or lower end of the elevator-case permits the crank-shaft e tobe arranged underneath the elevator at a sufficient distance from thecutter-bar to permit of using a long connecting-rod between the crankand cutter-bar and at the same time permits the elevator to be loweredsufficiently to be accessible from the ground. In the lowered positionof the elevator the slack in the lower elevator conveyer is taken up bythe inner edge u of the bottom of the elevator-case engaging with theunder side of the lower portion of this conveyer and by a transverse baror roller 20, secured to the sides of the elevator-case and engagingwith the under side of the upper carrying portion of this conveyer, asrepresented in Fig. 6.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with the platform conveyerand the wheeled frame on which the same is mounted, of a transverserock-shaft, reel-supporting arms hung on said rock-shaft, slidingbearings mounted on said arms, a reel journaled in said bearings,rock-arms secured to said rock-shaft and connected with said slidingbearings,an adjusting device mounted on said wheeled frame and connectedwith said rock-shaft to rock the same for adjusting the sliding bearingson the supporting-arms, and a reel-driving sprocket-wheel mounted onsaid rock-shaft and connected bya drivechain with the sprocket-wheel ofthe reel, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the frame, the platform conveyer and theelevator, of links pi votally connecting the elevator to the frame,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the frame, the platform conveyer and theelevator, of links pivotally connecting the elevator to the frame andprovided with shoulders which are engaged by the elevator, substantiallyas set forth.

4. The combination with the frame, the platform conveyer, theelevator-case, and the elevator conveyer passing with its receivingportion around a roller journaled on said frame, of links arranged onopposite sides of the elevator-case, each link being pivoted at one endto the elevator-case and at its other end to the journal of the rollerand provided with a shoulder which is engaged by the elevator-case,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the frame, the platformconveyer theelevator-case and the elevator conveyer passing with its receivingportion around a roller journaled on said frame, of links arranged onopposite sides of the elevator-case, each link being pivoted at one endto the elevator-case and at its other end to the journal of the rollerand provided with a shoulder which is engaged by the elevator-case andclamping-bolts connecting the links with the elevator-case,substantially as set forth. f

6. The combination with the frame, the platform conveyer passing withits delivery portion around a roller, the cutter arranged along thefront side of the platform conveyer and the crank-shaft having its crankconnected bya rod with the bar of the cutter, of an elevator-casearranged over the crank-shaft, an elevator conveyer arranged in the caseand passing with its receiving portion around a receiving-rollerarranged between the delivery-roller of the platform conveyer and thecrank-shaft, and links connecting the journal of the saidreceiving-roller with the elevatorcase, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 18th day of January, 1898.

EDWARD PRIDMORE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE O. VoLz, GEO. E. FARRALL.

